vi Preface. 



almost every young gardener, at least, has some knowledge of 

 it. Another reason for adopting it in preference to alpha- 

 betical order or any arbitrary grouping is, that a knowledge of 

 it is desirable, and will serve to increase the pleasure to be 

 derived from the cultivation of plants. The actual arrange- 

 ment of the orders and genera is a modification of De Can- 

 dolle's system, as near as possible to that in use at Kew, as 

 published in Hooker and Bentham's Genera Plant-arum.' 

 Any one acquainted with the affinities of plants will soon be 

 able to turn to the various orders without consulting the 



O 



index, which for convenience has been made as complete as 

 possible, including the Latin names of all the species described 

 or mentioned, together with their more important synonyms, 

 as well as the popular English and American names. 



To facilitate the selection of species, lists and references to the 

 principal members of the different classes are given under the 

 head ' Classification of Plants according to their Duration, 

 Habit, etc.,' pp. 599-619. 



It was originally intended to translate certain portions of the 

 first, second, and third volumes of Decaisne and Naudin's 

 'Manuel de 1' Amateur des Jardins,' and make up a volume 

 from them. But this plan was abandoned at the outset, 

 as the arrangement, suitable perhaps for a work of several 

 volumes, could not be carried out in bringing the materials 

 within the limits of one. And then, except in the case of a few 

 genera and species so well known as to scarcely need descrip- 

 tion, distinguishing generic and specific characters are not 

 given in the French work. This being considered of the first 

 importance, it was decided, whilst using the original woodcuts, 

 and all the information available, to proceed on a totally dif- 

 ferent basis. A great many of the species mentioned therein 

 are not noticed here, on account of their not being hardy in 

 Britain. On the other hand, numerous additional species are 

 described or named ; and although nothing like a complete 

 enumeration of all the hardy plants found in British gardens, 

 very few desirable or common species have been overlooked. 

 Probably some persons may be disappointed at not finding 

 such and such a species mentioned, whilst other less meri- 

 torious species are admitted. Imperfections of this nature 



